Filling-tautening device for loom

ABSTRACT

A filling-tautening device has a filling-tautening member provided with openings, such as round, through holes, vertical slots or meshed holes. Part of a picking fluid passes through the openings and hence the reflection of the picking fluid by the filling-tautening member is reduced accordingly to prevent a picked filling thread from twining round the filling-tautening member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a filling-tautening device for tautening a picked filling thread on a fluid-jet loom, typically, an air-jet loom. More specifically, the present invention relates to a filling-tautening device including an entanglement preventing means for preventing the entanglement of a filling thread and the reverse flow of a jetted picking fluid for carrying a filling thread into a shed.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art A filling-tautening device bends a picked filling thread with a filling-tautening member, such as a filling-tautening plate, a thin guide plate, a rod or a guide arm, disposed on the arriving side of a loom to tauten the picked filling thread during a beating operation. Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional filling-tautening device 1 has a filling-tautening plate 3 a, i.e., a filling-tautening member 3, disposed near a selvage of a fabric on the arriving side of a loom where a picked filling thread 2 arrives. When the picked filling thread 2 is beaten into the cloth fell 5 a of a fabric 5 with a reed 4, the picked filling thread 2 is brought into contact with the lower edge 6 of the filling-tautening plate 3 a so that the picked filling thread 2 is bent for tautening. The filling thread 2 is picked into a shed 10 of warp threads 9 by a picking fluid jetted through a main nozzle 7 disposed on a picking side of the loom. A plurality of subnozzles 8 jet the picking fluid so as to assist the picked filling thread 2 in flying toward the arriving side.

[0004] Referring to FIG. 2, a filling-tautening device 1 disclosed in JP-U No. 31864/1995 has a thin guide plate 3 b, i.e., a filling-tautening member 3, disposed near a selvage of a fabric on the arriving side of a loom where a picked filling thread 2 arrives. When the picked filling thread 2 is beaten into a fabric 5 with a reed 4, the picked filling thread 2 is brought into contact with a front end edge 12 of a slot 11 formed in the thin guide plate 3 b so that the picked filling thread 2 is bent horizontally for tautening. The filling thread 2 is picked into a shed 10 of warp threads 9 by a picking fluid jetted through a main nozzle 7 disposed on a picking side of the loom. A plurality of subnozzles 8 jet the picking fluid so as to assist the picked filling thread 2 in flying toward the arriving side.

[0005] A filling-tautening device disclosed in JP-A No. 43466/1976 advances an upper rod together with a reed to bend a picked filling thread vertically for tautening. A filling-tautening device disclosed in JP-U No. 167790/1982 pushes a picked filling thread into at least one slit formed in a reed with a linear guide arm when the reed is advanced for beating to bend the picked filling thread for tautening.

[0006]FIGS. 3 and 4 are views of assistance in explaining disadvantages of the filling-tautening devices shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the picking fluid, typically, air, jetted through the subnozzles 8 is reflected by a shaded part of the inner side surface of the filling tautening plate 3 a shown in FIG. 3 and the shaded parts of the inner side surface of the thin guide plate 3 b shown in FIG. 4 to disturb the flow of the picking fluid. Consequently, the picked filling thread 2 slackens off excessively to form a defect in the fabric. Such a problem is true of the filling-tautening device disclosed in JP-A No. 43466/1976.

[0007] Since the guide arm of the filling-tautening device disclosed in JP-U No. 167790/1982 is linear, the linear guide arm does not reflect the picking fluid excessively. However, since the linear guide arm has a small width, the filling thread is liable to twine round the guide arm, causing a weft stop.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to prevent the slackening of a picked filling thread and to prevent the twining of a picked filling thread round a filling-tautening member by preventing the reflection of a picking fluid, typically, picking air, by the filling-tautening member.

[0009] The present invention employs a filling-tautening member provided with through holes that permit a picking fluid to flow through the filling-tautening member to suppress reflection of the picking fluid by the filling-tautening member and to prevent the entwining of the picked filling thread round the filling-tautening member.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, a filling-tautening device for a loom includes a filling-tautening member disposed near a selvage of a fabric on the loom, having a working edge that comes into contact with a picked filling thread advancing together with a reed toward the cloth fell of the fabric, and provided with an opening. The filling-tautening member is disposed near the selvage so that the working edge is located opposite to a picked filling thread being advanced toward the cloth fell of a fabric on the loom.

[0011] The opening extends in a picking direction. Part of the picking fluid flows through the opening of the filling-tautening member and hence reflection of the picking fluid is reduced accordingly. Consequently, the twining of the picked filling thread round the filling-tautening member can be prevented, the slackening of the picked filling thread caused by the reflected picking fluid can be prevented and defects in the fabric can be reduced.

[0012] The opening may be at least one round hole, may be at least one meshed hole having a plurality of small holes, or may be at least one vertical slot. Since the opening is formed in a part, which is liable to reflect the picking fluid, of the filling-tautening member, the reflection of the picking fluid can be reduced. The meshed hole having the small holes prevents a picked filling thread from passing through the through hole. The vertical slot prevents a picked filling thread from passing through the opening. The narrow vertical slot having a big length provides the opening with a sufficient area.

[0013] The filling-tautening member may be a frame having a proper width and defining an open space. The opening space serves as the opening of a large area that enables the picking fluid to flow easily through the filling-tautening member. The frame is simple in shape and can be easily manufactured. The working edge of the filling-tautening member may be an edge of a filling-passing opening formed in the filling-tautening member, and the opening may be formed along the upper and the lower edge of the filling-passing opening. Since the picking fluid flows through the opening formed along the upper and the lower edge of the filling-passing slot even while the reed is advancing for a beating operation, the filling-tautening member is capable of reducing the reflection of the picking fluid effectively.

[0014] The filling-tautening member attaches a net having meshes to the frame. The net passes the picking fluid and prevents the picked filling thread from twining round the filling-tautening member, also the picked filling thread is unable to pass the net.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0016]FIGS. 1A and 1B are a front elevation and a side elevation, respectively, of assistance in explaining a conventional filling-tautening device;

[0017]FIGS. 2A and 2B are a plan view and a side elevation, respectively, of assistance in explaining a conventional filling-tautening device;

[0018]FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a filling-tautening member included in a conventional filling-tautening device;

[0019]FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a filling-tautening member included in a conventional filling-tautening device;

[0020]FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a filling-tautening member included in a filling-tautening device according to the present invention;

[0021]FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a filling-tautening member included in a filling-tautening device according to the present invention;

[0022]FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a filling-tautening member included in a filling-tautening device according to the present invention;

[0023]FIG. 8 is a side elevation of a filling-tautening member included in a filling-tautening device according to the present invention;

[0024]FIG. 9 is a side elevation of a filling-tautening member included in a filling-tautening device according to the present invention;

[0025]FIG. 10 is a side elevation of a filling-tautening member included in a filling-tautening device according to the present invention;

[0026]FIG. 11 is a side elevation of a filling-tautening member included in a filling-tautening device according to the present invention;

[0027]FIG. 12 is a side elevation of a filling-tautening member included in a filling-tautening device according to the present invention; and

[0028]FIG. 13(A) is a front elevation of assistance in explaining a filling-tautening member included in a filling-tautening device, and FIG. 13(B) is a side elevation thereof according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] FIGS. 5 to 13 show filling-tautening members 3 included in filling-tautening devices 1 according to the present invention. The filling-tautening members 3 shown in FIGS. 5, 7, 9 and 11 correspond to the filling-tautening plate 3 a shown in FIG. 1 and each have an inclined lower edge serving as a working edge 6 for bending a picked filling thread 2. The filling-tautening members 3 shown in FIGS. 6, 8, 10 and 12 correspond to the thin guide plate 3 b shown in FIG. 2 and each have a curved filling-passing slot 11 having an end edge on the side of a cloth fell 5 a serving as a working edge 12. The filling-tautening member 3 shown in FIG. 13 corresponds to a linear guide arm disclosed in JP-U No. 167790/1982, and has a part facing the front surface of a reed 4 and serving as a working edge 13. Each of the filling-tautening members 3 is disposed either near a selvage, on the picking side, of a fabric on a loom or near a selvage, on the arriving side opposite to the picking side, of the fabric.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 5, the filling-tautening member 3 is provided with five through holes 14 arranged at intervals along the lower working edge 6. The filling-tautening member 3 is similar in shape to the filling-tautening plate 3 a shown in FIG. 1. The filling-tautening member 3 is disposed near a selvage of a fabric on the arriving side, where a picked filling thread 2 arrives, of a fluid-jet loom, such as an air-jet loom. The through holes 14 are round. The diameter of the through holes 14 is determined experimentally so that the picked filling thread 2 passes rarely through the through hole 14. The filling-tautening member 3 is attached to a beam included in the frame of the fluid-jet loom such that the position of the same is adjustable.

[0031] The picked filling thread 2 comes into contact with the lower working edge 6 of the filling-tautening member 3 in a beating process subsequent to a picking process. Thus, the filling-tautening member 3 bends the picked filling thread 2 to tauten the picked filling thread 2 properly. A picking fluid jetted to carry the picked filling thread 2 impinges on the filling-tautening member 3 and is deflected forcibly. Part of the picking fluid does not impinge on the filling-tautening member 3, is not deflected and flows through the through holes 14, and hence reflection of the picking fluid by the filling-tautening member 3 is reduced accordingly. Consequently, the slackening of the picked filling thread 2 caused by the reflected picking fluid and defects in the fabric can be reduced.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 6, the filling-tautening member 3 is provided with three through holes 15 arranged along a front end edge, serving as a working edge 12, of the filling-passing slot 11. The filling-tautening member 3 is similar in shape to the thin guide plate 3 b shown in FIG. 2. The filling-tautening member 3 is disposed near a selvage of a fabric on the arriving side, where the picked filling thread 2 arrives, of the fluid-jet loom. The through holes 15, similarly to the through holes 14, are round. The filling-tautening member 3 is attached to a beam included in the frame of the fluid-jet loom such that the position of the same is adjustable.

[0033] The picked filling thread 2 comes into contact with the front end edge of the filling-passing slot 11 of the filling-tautening member 3 in the beating process subsequent to the picking process. Thus, the filling-tautening member 3 bends the picked filling thread 2 to tauten the picked filling thread 2 properly. The picking fluid jetted to carry the picked filling thread 2 impinges on the filling-tautening member 3 and is deflected forcibly. Part of the picking fluid does not impinge on the filling-tautening member 3, is not deflected and flows through the through holes 15, and hence reflection of the picking fluid by the filling-tautening member 3 is reduced accordingly. Consequently, the slackening of the picked filling thread 2 caused by the reflected picking fluid and defects in the fabric can be reduced.

[0034] The filling-tautening member 3 shown in FIG. 7 is provided with a plurality of through holes 14 arranged in parallel rows parallel to the lower working edge 6. The through holes 14 have a diameter smaller than that of the through holes 14 shown in FIG. 5, and are arranged closely.

[0035] The filling-tautening member 3 shown in FIG. 8 is provided with a plurality of through holes 15 in a front part thereof on the front side of the filling-passing slot 11. The through holes 15 have a diameter smaller than that of the through holes 15 shown in FIG. 6, and are arranged in a staggered arrangement.

[0036] The through holes 14 and 15 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 and having diameters smaller than those of the through holes 14 and 15 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are more effective than the latter in preventing the passage of the picked filling thread 2 through the through holes 14 and 15.

[0037] The filling-tautening member 3 shown in FIG. 9 is provided with at least one vertical slot 14 arranged along the lower working edge 6.

[0038] The filling-tautening member 3 shown in FIG. 10 is provided with at least one vertical slot 15 in a front part on the front side of the front end edge, serving as a working edge 12, of the filling-passing slot 11.

[0039] The vertical slots 14 and 15 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 and having a small width are more effective than the through holes 14 and 15 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 in preventing the passage of the picked filling thread 2 through the slots 14 and 15. The slots 14 and 15 are formed in a small width and in an increased length to secure a sufficient area for passing part of the picking fluid through the filling-tautening members 3.

[0040] The filling-tautening member 3 shown in FIG. 11 has a frame 16 of a proper width defining an opening 17. The width of the frame 16 is sufficiently big to prevent the picked filling thread 2 from passing through the opening 17. Since the filling-tautening member 3 is provided with the large opening 17, most part of the picking fluid is able to flow through the filling-tautening member 3. Since the filling-tautening member 3 has a simple shape, the same can be easily made.

[0041] The filling-tautening member 3 shown in FIG. 12 is provided with a plurality of through holes 15 arranged along the front end edge serving as a working edge 12, an upper edge and a lower edge of the filling-passing slot 11. Since the picking fluid flows through the through holes 15 formed along the upper and the lower edge of the slot 11 even while the reed 4 is advancing for a beating operation, the filling-tautening member 3 shown in FIG. 12 is capable of reducing the reflection of the picking fluid more effectively than that shown in FIG. 6.

[0042] The filling-tautening member 3 shown in FIG. 13 is formed by bending a wire having a proper diameter or a bar having a proper width in a frame having a working part 13, and attaching a net 19 having meshes 18 to the frame. The net 19 may be formed of any suitable material. The filling-tautening member 3 corresponds to the linear guide arm disclosed in JP-U No. 167790/1982. When the reed 4 advances for a beating operation, the filling-tautening member 3 pushes the picked filling thread 2 in a slit 4 a formed in the reed 4, so that the picked filling thread 2 is bent and tautened. The net 19 passes the picking fluid and prevents the picked filling thread 2 from twining round the filling-tautening member 3. When the meshes 18 of the net 19 are small, the picked filling thread 2 is unable to pass the net 19.

[0043] In the filling-tautening members 3 shown in FIGS. 5 to 12, the through holes 14 and 15, the slots 14 and 15, and the opening 17 may be covered with a net similar to the net 19 to prevent the picked filling thread from passing through the through holes 14 and 15, the slots 14 and 15, and the opening 17.

[0044] Although the invention has been described in its preferred embodiments with a certain degree of particularity, obviously many changes and variations are possible therein. It is therefore to be understood that the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A filling-tautening device for a loom, including a filling-tautening member disposed near a selvage of a fabric on the loom, having a working edge that comes into contact with a picked filling thread advancing together with a reed toward a cloth fell of the fabric and bends the picked filling thread, and provided with an opening extending in a picking direction.
 2. The filling-tautening device according to claim 1, wherein the opening is at least one round hole.
 3. The filling-tautening device according to claim 1, wherein the opening is at least one meshed hole having a plurality of small holes.
 4. The filling-tautening device according to claim 1, wherein the opening is at least one vertical slot.
 5. The filling-tautening device according to claim 1, wherein the filling-tautening member is a frame having a proper width and defining an open space.
 6. The filling-tautening device according to claim 1, wherein the filling-tautening member is provided with a filling-passing opening, and the opening is formed near an edge of the filling-passing opening.
 7. The filling-tautening device according to claim 1, wherein a net is attached to the filling-tautening member. 